Your hotel → San-no-ma of Uji Bridge→ Tsuen Tea House→ Uji Cha Dojo “Takumi no Yakara” →  Fukujuen Uji Tea Workshop→Byodo-in Temple、Byodo-in Temple Phoenix Hal Phoenix Hall →Front approach to Byodo-in Temple → JR Uji Station

◆Uji Bridge
This bridge is said to be originally built in 646 by Priest Doto and is one of the three oldest bridges in Japan. The current bridge was built in 1996. You can see a lot of ingenuity to retain the original atmosphere throughout the bridge as a key junction between Kyoto, Nara, and Omi. For example, ornamental tops of the railing, decorative covers for the end of beams, protection against driftwood, and San-no-ma (where Toyotomi Hideyoshi scooped clear water for tea ceremony from Uji River). Currently, there is a ritual to scoop water from San-no-ma in the autumn tea festival.

◆Tsuen Tea House
This tea house started business in 1160. The shopkeepers have served as the bridge guard for generations. Current building is an architectural remain of machiya, or traditional Japanese townhouse built in Edo Period. A wooden structure of the first shopkeeper Tsuen created by Priest Ikkyu and a hanging jar created by Sen-no-Rikyu and used for scooping water from Uji River are enshrined inside the shop. It is famous for a novel “Miyamoto Musashi”.

◆Uji Cha Dojo “Takumi no Yakara”
You can learn how to make delicious Uji tea using a teapot. A Japanese tea instructor will explain about various kinds of teas such as gyokuro, matcha, and sencha and introduce some tips for making delicious tea. A snack will be served with the tea.

◆Fukujuen Uji Tea Workshop
You will grind tea leaves (material of powdered tea) into powder using a stone quern. Then, you will make matcha, or foamy green tea, using a bamboo whisk by yourself. A Japanese cake will be served with the tea.

◆Byodo-in Temple Phoenix Hal
The regent Fujiwara Yorimichi converted a villa owned by his father, Fujiwara Michinaga, into a Buddhist temple in 1052, late Heian Period. In the next year, the Amitabha Hall (Phoenix Hall) was built and a number of great Heian Buddhism heritages such as the seated statue of Amitabha Tathagata created by Jocho, the best Buddhist sculptor in Heian Period, the Fifty-Two Worshiping Bodhisattvas on Clouds, and the door paintings remain in Byodo-in Temple. The Phoenix Hall and phoenix statue are used in the designs of 10-yen coin and 10,000-yen note, respectively.

◆Front approach to Byodo-in Temple
Many long-established Uji tea shops in business from Muromachi Period stand on both sides and tea aroma is floating in this path. Also, you can enjoy rich lineup of special products of Uji in this historical front approach to Byodo-in Temple.